Wonderful Walker
by Walking-trench-instruments
Summary: Last time he saw her she was crying and freaking out. That was before Ella Main walked out of her friend Daryl's life. Now three years later she has a backbone and is very helpful to the new world. When she meets up with daryl will she ReKindle their friendship or will it lead to something more. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

She wasn't too surprised that the world went to hell, she was just surprised she made it this far. She wasn't a fighter, except in third grade she sucker punched the kid that pulled on her hair. So when the shit hit the fan she bolted. Headed for Atlanta to this safe house or something. Soon enough the blockades were down and the bombs were everywhere, people being shot on the streets and hoards of the dead running about. Shaking her head she raised her bow and entered the drugstore. The windows were smashed in and there was glass everywhere. She went up the narrow stairs to see that the door was bolted up.

Using her machete to cut the lock she kicked open the door. The last thing she expected to see was a man she hadn't seen for ages handcuffed to a roof.

"Ey'!" He screamed to her, with a thick husky voice. She walked over and saw he was clearly dehydrated. He was bruised and battered.

"Oh my god!" She said as she dropped to her knees beside him. Who would deserve to be handcuffed like a wild animal out here? Even if he was a little full headed and trusted his tongue too much. She pulled out a bottle of water to give him a drink.

"Why are you cuffed up here?" She asked.

He looked up, his eyes were still a light shade of blue and he had scruff on his face. "Officer friendly cuffed me up 'ere and left me for dead!" He said as he struggled.

"Calm down you'll hurt your wrist." She said. "How long have you been up here?"

"The whole God damn day" he said. She didn't bother to question him even though he looked much worse for wear. She laid her bag down and put her umbrella over his head to block the hot sun beading down on them.

"So why did this officer handcuff you up here anyways?" She said packing the tipped tools back into the bag.

"Some people are not the same thing as me and my little brother. I'm sure he's on the way to get me now."

She looked up with a small smile. She took off her army jacket her brother gave her and looked down at herself, she was a little bit smaller than she had been before the end of the world. She wore black short shorts and a Grey tee but she was still very warm. She put her gun on her hip and loosened her stealth on her knife. He watched as she tied up her brown hair and turned back to him.

"I'm gunna shut the door. Try to keep it closed for when the-"

"Yeah yeah I know. The walkers." She hadn't ever heard them be called that before. She shrugged and tied the door shut.

"Well I guess we have to stay here." She said it then caught herself. "Sorry."

"Ain't anything to be sorry about, girl" He said leaning back, almost looking like he was going to sleep. She sat across from him and opened up some food.

"You hungry?" She asked.

He didn't understand why she was so nice to him, he didn't know her, she didn't owe him. But yet he wasn't completely turned away by her kindness as he would of been with anyone else. He simply nodded and took the plate as she handed it to him. She actually smiled at him, one of the first smiles he's seen in a while.

"We need to preserve our water," she said, handing him a solo cup about half way full. "Make that last as long as you can." She spread her sleeping bag against the wall. Then handed him a blanket. "We can cut that off tomorrow."

"So I never got to ask you if you remembered me." She said. Laying her plate down.

"We ain't never met," he said, "I'da remembered your face." He said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes. "Ella main" She held out her hand for him to shake but he just grunted and looked past it. She rolled her eyes again. "So your people are coming soon?" She said sitting against the wall.

"Yeah they can't leave little old Merle here to die. 'Specially my baby brother."

She nodded and smiled.

"Thought you said you got the chain across?" Daryl puffed looking back to the coloured man behind rick.

"These were cut, no walkers did this." Rick said picking up the chain from the ground.

"He better be alright or your dead. " Daryl threatened.

Daryl tried to push the door open but a knot on the inside stopped him.

"The hell?" Glenn said, watching the hunter struggle with the door.

Daryl pounded on the door and that's when he heard it. A female voice. She slowly untied the knot and stepped back keeping her gun poised.

"Put your weapons down." She said calmly. Daryl looked her up and down, she wasn't no fighter. That's for sure. Never even had the safety off.

"Lookin for My brother. You seen'em?" He looked around and spotted the umbrella by the rod.

"Daryl?" He tried to ignore the way her voice sounded saying his name and focused on getting Merle back.

"How ye now ma name?." He looked back to where Merle was now in sight looking at the interaction.

"Jeez both you and Merle forgot my name. It's only been three years." She said still grinning.

"Ella?" He asked lowering his bow.

She nodded. "The one and only. Saved your brothers ass again." Saying that caught Merle's attention from his place.

"Well hello darylinna!" Merle said.

Daryl took the bolt cutters and marched over where Merle was sitting and clipped off the cuffs.

Merle rubbed his wrist before looking around. "Well let's go before the dead are up on our asses" he said.

Ella went over to the bag and packed it up. "It was nice to see you you again." She said before walking away.

"Wait!" Merle yelled after her. Making her turn around and rest her weight on one hip

"Yeah?" She sounded slightly caught off guard.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Rick said.

"You want me to come?" She was flabbergasted.

"Well yeah." Merle said walking up and pulling on her arm for encouragement. She shrugged and smiled.

Daryl tried to contain the small amount of jealousy pitting inside him, he always had a thing for her, but he never got very far. She always had a boyfriend or went out of town. Or he was too chicken or had something going on.

"I'll come. But if I gotta keep your sorry ass alive I'm backing out." She said as she playfully elbowed Merle. Making daryl a little jealous.

"We better go" Daryl said walking back down the stairs.

She looked after him, she hadn't expected him to be so... Captivating. She knew he was three years ago but now he was built. She shook her head and followed after him falling into formation.

They were driving back through the country, Daryl kept his eyes on her as she picked at her boot. She looked up and met his glance, he wanted to tear it away but he couldn't. She kept her gaze strongly until Rick spoke to her and she moved to look at the man.

"So Ella, what did you do before all this?"

She trained her eyes downward and let out a half chuckle. "Was work in on my third year of med school." She said.

Ricks eyes gleamed and Daryl knew it was because of Lori and Carl. He wanted the best for them. Always. Making him a little angry that's the only reason he would want her around from now on when she was useful for more than just that. Daryl looked back at her and couldn't help but notice the scars down her legs. And the ones around her ankles looked just like his. Cigarette burns.

She looked up and met his gaze once again. She smiled a half smile before training her eyes to look at Rick again.

"You don't look that old." Glenn said.

"Skipped two years of high school." She said using her knife to pick the rocks out of her boots again.

Daryl watched as her slim fingers moved around her knife with great skill. She had experience with a knife. He watched as she tied up her brown hair and a few strands fell around her face in soft curls. Hair tie fell out again as she pinned it up once more. She sighed looked down. Gunshots rang through the air and the sight now ahead was horrible. Walkers were attacking the small camp and screams were piercing the air. It Took only a few minutes to get the rest of the way to the camp. The walkers Were slowly being put down but a few camp members had gone down.

"Amy!" A blonde woman yelled as she ran to the fallen girl. She was Sobbing as the blood poured down her body.

Ella shot Walker after Walker and took,any of them down.

When the guns stopped and every one looked around she saw that one man and a girl had gone down.

"Who's the hell is that!?" Lori said pointing to Ella. Daryl glared at the woman but went unseen by her.

"Lori," rick said placing a kind hand on her shoulder. "This is Ella Main, she's a doctor."


	2. Chapter 2

Ella walked around putting her knife through the skulls of the dead laying on the ground. She walked around to the side of a body. She crouched down to its level to stab it but it grabbed her hair, rising up to sink its yellow, infected teeth into her neck. She screamed a little, catching the Dixon's attention, and they ran to her aid. Daryl pulled her away while merle smashed its head in with his foot.

"Ya alright?" Daryl asked checking her over for bites or scratches. Once he was satisfied he took her by the arm, "why don't ya go lay down." he said.

She nodded and grabbed her bag going into the Dixon's tent; in which she would now be staying.

Daryl continued to smash the skulls of the walkers in. His mind went back to what just happened, why did he care so much if the girl got bit. He didn't owe her nothing and even though she was the person to save her brother, because Daryl was sure that she didn't show up merle would've done something stupid like cut off his hand, she was just another person. Just another sad frayed piece of humanity left to judge him or leave if he let her in. So it was decided that he wouldn't let her in, wouldn't let her be something he would lose. Even though he knew she had already sunk her hooks into Merle he wouldn't be won over so easy. Not again.

He heard two female voices behind him and turned to see she had come out of the tent and was now sitting next to Andrea and Amy, Andrea's kid sister.

"I didn't know her," Ella was saying, "but I know how it feels to lose a sibling."

That caught Andrea's attention. The blonde looked up at her and met the other females green eyed gaze. "You had a sister?" Andrea asked.

"Yes," Ella said looking at the ground. She slid her lugs under her to stand up and pat Andreas shoulder in a comforting manor.

Merle walked over to Ella. "Jim is bit," he said calmly.

She nodded and moved to walk around him; he caught her arm spinning her back to look at him.

"Whoa what do you suppose your doin'!? Ain't nothin' ya can do fer 'em" Merle said.

She gave a sad smile and placed a hand over his pushing down telling him it was okay. "I'm just going to see what I can do."

Merle shook his head, "don't." He growled.

She laid her hand on his shoulder. "It'll be fine," she coaxed. "Trust me." She could see the gears spinning in his head. Finally he dropped his hand and nodded.

He knew she was the only doctor, he knew these people were gunna need her, but he didn't want her to get pushed around or hurt. He could see his baby brother swooning over the girl, hell, he was too. He'd be damned if he was going to let darylinna get to her first.

Ella walked into the RV where Jim lay on the couch, sweaty and coughing. She ran a little water over a cloth and pressed it to his forehead. "He's running a temperature," a colored woman said from behind her. "I can't get it down." She walked over and stood just behind Ella. "Can you help him?"

"I can try," Ella said standing up and going to the tent and grabbing her bag. She stepped out of the tent to be face to face with a rock hard chest. She looked up to see the one and only Daryl.

"Where ya goin'?" He asked, his gruff voice showing a small pit of concern. She looked to the RV so see Jacqui looking out of the door towards them.

"We can talk later, you still hunt?" She asked. She noticed him and rick talking earlier and wondered.

"Yeah?" He asked more than said. "Why?" Now he was curious because she didn't really look like someone that would hunt, she looked more like someone who would be able to kill an animal. She was really small too so he didn't think she could hunt.

"Me too, we can go hunting in the morning. Talk about whatever then," she stepped around him and pointed her thumb to the RV where the door was now shut. "I gotta go," she said nervously. God why did he have to make her stomach so fluttery.

He grunted and went in the tent. He lid back and stared at the "roof". He usually didn't take anyone hunting. Normally just went by himself to prevent noise, and to make sure he didn't go crazy with everyone around and looking to him for shit. He settled down and rested into a thoughtful sleep about shining green eyes with cigarette burns.

"I gave him something to bring down his fever, help me take off his shirt." Ella said to rick as he came into the RV.

Rick lifted Jim a little for Ella to cut off his shirt. She put the back of her hand to his chest, "he's way too hot," she said pulling out her stethoscope to check his heart beat. It was still strong but it was going fast. "We need to get his fever down faster," she said pulling up the bowl of water and some torn rags.àqq.

"What can I do?" rick asked.

"You do your job," she said looking up at him, "these people need you to make a decision, we know there are walkers in the woods, we can't stay rick." She said. She looked back at Jim and started putting the wet cloths under his arms, around his neck and over his legs and waist. She heard someone come in but she continued with her job of cooling the dying man.

"I'm goin' soon," Daryl's voice came from behind her, she found comfort in even the sound of his voice and she had only known him two days. She nodded and turned around, "Rick made the announcement. We are heading out once we get back." She assumed he was talking about the hunting trip and stood up.

"I'll get changed and we can go." She said quietly. She changed into her camouflage hunting pants and a cotton long sleeved army green shirt. She left the tent pulling up her long curls. She grabbed her bow and started over to Daryl.

He looked at her and his eyes almost popped out of his head; she looked really hot in her hunting clothes. He snapped back to what he had to do and met her gaze. "Were stayin' over night, ya good?" he asked.

She didn't say anything just offered a weak smile. He nodded and they started off into the woods.

He couldn't keep his mind off of the girl walking next to him, the way her fingers wrapped around her bow, how her footsteps were silent, how she moved so gracefully even through the small river. She kept her mind focused and never even looked at him as she scanned through the forest. Where as with her as a distraction he tripped over logs and rocks. She bent down to examine a track so he bent down to her level as well.

"What do ye see?" He asked. She didn't answer, she didn't even acknowledge his presence. She just raised her bow and let the arrow fly. He heard the sound of the arrow sinking into flesh. He raised his armed crossbow to see a deer in his sights trying to aid the fallen animal. He pulled the trigger letting his arrow sink into the neck of the deer.

"That's two deers, and I think we can make it back, we've only been walking about four hours." Ella said walking over to the game. She took out her hunting knife and set down her bag.

"We better stay here fer the night." He said looking up at the setting sun. "No use in getting eaten in the middle of the woods."

Wiping her hands in her pants she nodded and got up from the animal that now had its throat cut. "I'll start a fire then."


	3. Chapter 3

Daryl sat across the fire from Ella who had her knees to her chest. Her brown curly hair was now down and falling around her face. As she stared into the fire Daryl could see that whatever she was thinking about was painful because her eyes started to water. He got uncomfortable because he never knew what to do in situations like these. He never knew how to comfort people. Especially girls. Daryl didn't know what he felt about the girl, he didn't know if he liked the feeling either. All he knew was that what he was feeling, and damn whatever it was, was towards Ella. He decided to ask her questions to keep her mind off of whatever.

"What were ya doin' in Atlanta?" he asked poking the fire with a stick. He looked up at her to see she was looking at him with her head tilted sideways. Finally getting annoyed with her silence, and that look, he sighed. "What?" he asked

"I was working in a coffee shop to pay for med school. You?" he looked up to see her looking back down at the fire. Her booted foot tapping to the beat of unheard music. He nodded and looked back down at the fire resting his hands over his knees. "Tell me about what happened ." She said suddenly. "I've asked merle to and all he ever said was you guys bolted. Went to Atlanta to see it was just a pipe dream."

"Yeah well there ain't much ta say. We got out. Both of us." He paused. "Where is Caroline?" There it was. The question she'd been waiting for. Where was her little sister.

Ella looked down at her foot again. "She got bit. I tried to help. I almost got bit-by her- in the process." He looked away unsure of what to say. When he glanced at her he was met with a strong glassy emerald gaze. "It's my second chance." she said off into the distance, as if she saw something no one else could see. "I couldn't save my sister, maybe I thought-" she wiped her eye and Daryl saw she was crying.

"What?" he whispered. Not what she meant, but what does he do. She looked up and met his gaze with glassy eyes. He shifted over next to her and wrapped his arm around the weeping girl. "It's going to be alright." he coaxed rubbing circles on her arm.

She looked up at him with amazement. She never thought she would see the day where Daryl Dixon would be so sweet, maybe it was because he was alone, away from his brother. She smiled a little and looked into his eyes. He leaned forward a little but she pulled away. "With this world," she said, "It's hard to keep up relationships. Even with the old world it's a give and take. Now it's even harder, if we are going to do this," Daryl got a little confused at what she was saying, did she feel what he felt or was she saying she felt nothing? "I need to know you're in it for the long run, not just a one night stand." She said.

He chuckled and shook his head. "It isn't."

She nodded a little. "What happened with your dad?" She asked. When she saw his confused look she explained further. "Neither of you talk about him. I just thought maybe he died before the outbreak. What happened to him?"

"He died before all this." He said taking up the stick and poking it again. There was the sound of a twig snapping and so he leapt to his feet. "Stay down." He growled quietly. She crawled over his crossbow. She threw it over to him and he loaded it up. He pointed it in the direction of the noise only to be met with the face of a rabbit. He sent the arrow free and sighed. "Just a rabbit." He said.

She nodded and lid back staring at the sky. "I'm going to stay here. Wake me when it's time for my watch." She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

She awoke to the feeling of someone wrapping an arm around her, she turned in panic only to be met with a snoring daryl. He had strung up some cans he had gotten from camp and lid down, loaded crossbow at the ready. She sighed laying back down and moving a little closer to Daryl's chest. It was around three in the morning based on the moon. She laid her head on Daryl's arm causing him to shift but not wake up. She sighed and closed her eyes. Daryl shifted making his not breath hit her shoulder, causing her to shiver, daryl never crossed her as a someone who cuddled.

"You awake?" Daryl whispered. She pressed her eyes closed and smiled a little at the fact he didn't move when he woke.

"Yeah." She whispered back turning so they were face to face, inches apart, noses almost touching. Slowly, and unsteadily daryl inches closer. Ella's eyes flickered to his lips before meeting his eyes giving him silent permission. He removed the space between them and their lips met for a sweet lingering kiss. They could hear their hearts beating and feel the clash of his slightly dry lips against her soft ones. The smell of woods and dirt mixed with she smell of blood and sweat filled the air clashing with natures natural smell of pine and grass. She knotted her hands in his hair pulling slightly causing him to moan into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her light form on top of him, legs straddling his waist. They continued to kiss as his hands explored around her waist and back.

He flipped them over so she was on bottom and moved to kiss down her neck making her bite back a moan. He pulled her shirt over her head and continued to kiss and nip at her neck and collar bone while pinning her wrists. She hooked her legs around his waist pulling her hips to his making him bite down on her neck a bit causing her to cry out. He moved down and unbuckled her belt while kissing her hips keeping her wrists pinned over her head. He sucked at her hip bone making kisses back up to catch her lips again. She lifted his shirt over him and raked her fingers down his back stopping when she felt a scar. He stopped kissing when he felt her freeze so she arched her back up to press her hips to his again making him groan. He crashed his lips to hers for a bone crushing kiss as their tongues battled for dominance. She put up a good fight but he won and he moved to kiss her neck again. She brushed her fingers along his belt making him stop to remove his pants. She kicked hers to the side as well leaving them both in their underwear. She lifted herself up so he could fiddle with her bra clasp making her laugh when he couldn't get it undone.

"Shut up, I got it," he said before sucking her bottom lip into his mouth for another deep kiss. She moaned making him smirk against her lips before pressing her to the ground again. Her bra was now with the rest of her clothes and he cupped her breast with one hand while pinning her wrists with the other. He kissed a line from her lips to her hips before removing her panties causing her to arch her back. He removed his boxers before entering her causing her to tremor and shiver. As he began to thrust into her she moaned and purred.

"Fuck Daryl," she pants. He quickened the pace making her gasp and lurch her hips. She grabbed his waist and he pinned her arms again making her cry out. "Jesus!" She cried. He slowed the pace teasing her making her hiss words under her breath.

"Tell me you want it," he growled.

"I want it," she purred. He began to quicken the pace before suddenly the earth stopped spinning and she saw stars as he collapsed over her, careful not to put all his weight on her. They lid face to face breathing in each others air making her a little dizzy. She felt as though she were drunk. She was lightheaded and dazed and fuzzy. She caught his lips for another deep kiss, rolling their tongues over each others and brushing their lips together. His hand moved to the back of her neck breaking the kiss for a breath. She couldn't catch her breath as the events that just occurred left her wanting more. She raked her nails over his back again arching up, hooking her legs around his waist bringing him down on top of her fully. He chuckled a little shakily before kissing her again, massaging her tongue with his. "What does this mean?" She asked. He put his finger over her lips to silence her question and kissed her forehead before rolling off her. He draped his arm over her waist.

"Go to sleep." He said, "we gotta carry those deers tomorrow." She nodded and curled into his chest, her hot breath against his neck.

"Night," she said before falling asleep.

When Ella awoke she was alone. She hadn't expected daryl to be there but a girl could hope. She got up and got dressed. Daryl was there untying the deers from their place in the trees.

"Hey," she said bending down to grab her bag. She turned around to see him right behind her. She gasped a little then relaxed. "You scared me," he pulled her into him for a bone crushing kiss. She responded by knitting her hands in his hair. He pushed her against a tree and started kissing down her neck.

"N-no. Daryl we have to get back." She said. He ignored her and met her lips again. She rolled her eyes and responded to the kiss. She wrapped her legs around his hips and squeezed sending shivers up his spine. She rucked his shirt over his head and tugged on his hair causing him to moan into her mouth. She smiled and pushed him off enough to look into his eyes that were dark with lust. "As much as I enjoy this, it's a four hour walk dragging two dears back to hungry people that are ready to pull out at any second. We have to go." She said unwrapping herself from him. He pulled his shirt back on and she let down her hair.

She watched as daryl used the length of rope to tie the deers legs. She took one and he gave her a skeptical look but didn't say anything. She lifted the deers legs to her shoulder and started walking.

"About what happened-" she started. He cut her off by grunting under the weight of the deer. "If you want to forget it happened, this is your chance." She said sucking in a breath. Waiting for his answer felt like forever. When really it was a few seconds.

"Merle wouldn't like it. I can see him chasin' ya." He said. She didn't like where this was going. "But," she looked at him as he stopped, setting down the deer. She followed his actions and he stepped forward. "All growin' up I wanted to do what I'm about to do. And if you want me to stop. Tell me. And we can forget everything, we can move on." He took a weary step forward. For years she could sense the sexual tension between them but she never thought he'd act on it. She was always too scared of being pushed away and loosing him. He put his hand on her neck pulling her into him capturing her lips. As their new born kindling fire burned bright a walker came up behind them.

"Daryl!" She screamed breaking the kiss. As the walker grabbed her arm an arrow pierced it's skull. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped his muscular arms around her small frame.

"It's alright." He breathed. He pressed his cheek to the too of her head and held her tightly. And if he could help it, he'd never let her go. Figuratively speaking.


End file.
